Tuesday, July 2, 2024

Day 27 - Home

Well, the last day of our 2024 road trip is here, and boy did it come fast! 

Every second was worth it! Not just today, but everyday. And not just with this trip, either. One thing that makes a trip like this all the better is knowing you have a home to return to, a place where you enjoy living out the majority of your days with the people you love most. We feel so grateful to be able to take a trip like this, but more than anything, we are grateful for what have day in and day out.

We are going to miss those mountains, though. I hope to return soon!

On our last day, we took our time checking out and driving home, trying to squeeze out every last drop of vacation. We checked out some outlets. We stopped at Shady Maple in Lancaster and ate a bunch of food. When we got home, we were wiped. We would like to say it was from all the hiking last month, but it was probably just from lunch!

Since there aren't many pictures from today, I wanted to share a playlist from our trip. We each picked an album from an artist that matched every letter of the alphabet, and then we listened along our drives. Here are our choices:

  • Alvvays - Blue Rev - A
  • ABBA - The Visitors - G
  • Beatles, The - Rubber Soul - G
  • Britney Spears - Blackout - A
  • Caamp - By and By - A
  • Cranberries, The - Everyone Else Is Doing It, So Why Can’t We? - G
  • Dehd - Poetry - G
  • Drew Holcomb - Strangers No More - A
  • eels - Electro-Shock Blues - A
  • Earth, Wind & Fire - I Am - G
  • Felice Brothers - Celebration, Florida - G
  • Flowers, Brandon - Flamingo - A
  • Good Old War - Good Old War - A
  • Gorillaz - Cracker Island - G
  • Hey Marseilles - To Travels and Trunks - G
  • Hozier - Unreal Unearth - A
  • Isbell, Jason - Southeastern - A
  • INXS - Kick - G 
  • Jepsen, Carly Rae - Emotion: Side B - G
  • Jack’s Mannequin - Everything In Transit - A
  • Kooks, The - Inside In / Inside Out - A
  • Knopfler, Mark - Shangri-La - G
  • Lewis, Jenny - Joy’All - G
  • Linkin Park - Hybrid Theory - A
  • Modest Mouse - We Were Dead Before the Ship Even Sank - A
  • Maine, The - The Maine - G
  • National, The - Alligator - G
  • *NSYNC - *NSYNC - A
  • Old Crowe Medicine Show - Jubilee - A
  • Oberst, Conor - Salutations - G
  • Priscilla Ahn - A Good Day - G
  • Prine, John - John Prine - A
  • Queen of Jeans - If you’re not afraid, I’m not afraid - A
  • Quinn O’Donnell - Wherefore Art Thou? - G
  • Roan, Chappell - The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess - G
  • Robyn - Body Talk - A
  • Stray Birds, The - Magic Fire - A
  • Shore, Howard - The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring - G
  • Taylor Swift - folklore - G 
  • Temper Trap, The - Conditions - A
  • Usher - 8701 - A
  • Ursula - Brains, Waste, Heart - G
  • Vampire Weekend - Only God Was Above Us - G
  • Vanessa Carlton - Love Is an Art - A
  • Wilderness of Manitoba, The - Farewell to Cathedral - A
  • Wallows - Nothing Happens - G
  • Xiu Xiu - A Promise - G
  • xx, The - Coexist - A
  • Yellowcard - Ocean Avenue - A
  • Yusuf - Tea for the Tillerman - G
  • Zombies, The - Odessey and Oracle - G
  • Zachary Williams - Dirty Camaro - A
  • 5ive - 5ive - A
  • 5 Seconds of Summer - 5SOS5 - G


Here are some pictures from our last day:


Red Velvet lattes

Hershey outlets

Yum!

First Wawa!

We will just say 7,000. It's cleaner.

Day 27 Rating: Until the next one! 10/10

Monday, July 1, 2024

Day 26 - Hershey Park

La Quinta Inn Harrisburg-Hershey

  • Hours - 4
  • Food options - 3.5
  • Food quality - 3.5
  • Coffee quality - 3
  • Ambiance - 2
  • Highlights - Powdered sugar for waffles 

We've been to Hershey Park before, but to be honest, neither of us remembered much about it! Also, they've added a lot of coasters recently, which made them all brand new to us. It was a lot of fun, even if it was a little crowded. We waited in lines, rode a bunch of rides, and even checked out ZooAmerica, which is included with park admission. Before we knew it, the sun was setting. We took some time to eat at The Chocolatier restaurant, an aptly named dining establishment that opened about three years ago. It was delightful!

Great coaster!

Jolly Rancher Remix! We didn't ride this!

Trailblazer. Waited too long for this one!

Candymonium! Great coaster!

Check out The Beast swag from Kings Island!

Success!

Made out of chocolate!

Ah! Snake!

So fair!

Bear fight!

Kissing Tower

How'd I get that view of the park??

That's how!

Amy!

Golden hour

Yum!

Dark ride to end the night

Day 26 Rating: Well, there's chocolate, and then there's chocolate 10/10

Sunday, June 30, 2024

Day 25 - Pittsburgh to Hershey, PA

Today was a chill day! We wanted to make sure we had a whole day in Hershey Park, so we didn't do much today besides drive there. 

We found a couple fun stops along the way, though, including a giant coffee pot and a flea market! 

Okay, muscles!!

Homemade ice cream in Pittsburgh

Neat

Hot! It was hot! I miss Canada!

Indoor flea market. Bought nothing!

Lodging in Hershey

That's lightning

Day 25 Rating: Signed Paul George 10/10

Saturday, June 29, 2024

Day 24 - Pittsburgh

Hyatt Place Pittsburgh Airport / Robinson

  • Hours - 3.5
  • Food options - 4
  • Food quality - 3
  • Coffee quality - 2.5
  • Ambiance - 3
  • Highlights - Reese Puffs

Pittsburgh, again? The truth is, we were originally going to take an entirely different route home, mostly involving driving through more of Canada. The plan had been to visit more places we have never been to before. However, we found out one of our favorite bands, Middle Kids, was playing a show in Pittsburgh on this very day. So we ended up changing a few things to get here in time!

And we were both very glad we did. Middle Kids headlined the WYEP Summer Music Festival at Schenley Plaza, and we went for the last three acts. Jade Bird and Oh He Dead were also great, but Middle Kids rocked our socks off! 

Pittsburgh

Cathedral of Learning

Not my dino

Chilling for Jade Bird

Middle Kids spelled Pittsburgh wrong on the tour shirt!

Crowded sunset

 Moved up for Middle Kids

Middle Kids

Dinner at Smokey Bones

Day 24: Out of the dark, into the highlands 10/10

Friday, June 28, 2024

Day 23 - Madison to Pittsburgh

Last night, we stayed in Madison, Wisconsin, at the same Hyatt as earlier in the month. However, we decided to skip their breakfast this time and instead go to IHOP. We unfortunately forgot to take pictures of our pancakes!

Today was really just a driving day - over nine long hours of driving from Madison to Pittsburgh. But it was all good! We had a nice time listening to Pretty Little Liars

Passing through Chicago

Fuel for the ride

Oh, oh, oh, Ohio!

Something to look at

Rest stop!

Almost went to Poland! Phew

PA Turnpike! Blurry but true

Day 23: Won't spoil the book but 10/10

Thursday, June 27, 2024

Day 22 - Duluth, MN

Days Inn Duluth

  • Hours - 4
  • Food options - 4.5
  • Food quality - 3.5
  • Coffee quality - 4
  • Ambiance - 3
  • Highlights - Lots to grab and go

Duluth is a lovely port city on Lake Superior in Minnesota. After checking out of our hotel, we secured some iced lattes and strolled a portion of Canal Park's Lakewalk. The views were calming. The weather was pleasant. There were only a few cliques of people around. It was a perfect way to spend the morning. 

One of the coolest things about Canal Park is the Aerial Lift Bridge. Unlike a bridge that opens for ships to pass through, this bridge lifts like an elevator. It was fascinating to see it in action. 

Minnesota, really?!

Abandoned structure in the lake - Uncle Harvey's Mausoleum

Lakewalk

Lighthouse

Land Ahoy!

Aerial Lift Bridge

Going up

YACHT

All the way up!

Here comes the big one

So cool!

Satisfied inner child

Off she goes

San Fran or Duluth?

Maritime museum

Day 22 Rating: Happy birthday, mom! 10/10